The present invention relates generally to digital receipts generated as a result of a purchase transaction and, more particularly, to the storage thereof and access to a digital receipt generated as a result of a purchase transaction.
In the business world of today and especially the retail business world, purchase transactions are typically concluded on electronic cash registers or other various types of computer controlled retail terminals in general. Retail terminals allow the business to easily perform the purchase transaction including obtaining various information regarding the purchase transaction and providing a receipt for the purchase transaction. The collected data regarding the purchase transaction is typically stored in a database for use by the business. Such use may be for marketing purposes.
As evidence of the purchase transaction, a receipt is generated and given to the consumer (buyer). Because the purchase transaction is typically entered into a computer controlled device to calculate sale data, compute sales tax, and perform various other functions, it is known to provide an electronic or digital receipt for the purchase of such goods and/or services in addition to or in lieu of a paper receipt. The digital receipt is essentially a compilation of purchase transaction data. The digital receipt is generated and stored by the business and then delivered via electronic mail (e.g. by e-mail via an electronic network) to the customer/purchaser. Electronic mail, using either a public or open network such as the Internet, or a proprietary network, is a simple means of communicating digital information (i.e. the digital receipt) from one location to another location. Digital receipts are easily stored and retrieved by the business. Thus, the digital receipt provides a means for retailers, merchandise suppliers, distributors and Internet retailers to provide purchase transaction and other information to the consumer in an easily storable and retrievable form.
However, while the business may easily retrieve a stored digital receipt and/or the purchase transaction data contained therein, the consumer typically only receives an electronic copy of the digital receipt. The consumer cannot access the stored digital receipt, nor can the consumer access other functionality associated with the purchase transaction and/or digital receipt as offered by the business.
What is therefore needed is a system and/or method that is operable to provide a consumer access to a digital receipt generated as a result of a purchase transaction between the consumer and a business and stored by the business.
What is therefore further needed is a system and/or method that is operable to allow a consumer access to business/consumer features and/or functionality related to a stored digital receipt generated as a result of a purchase transaction between the consumer and the business.
What is therefore further needed is a system and/or method that is operable to provide a consumer the means to access a stored digital receipt pertaining to a purchase transaction between the consumer and a business, and/or business/consumer features and/or functionality related to the stored digital receipt.
The present invention is a system, method and apparatus for providing a consumer means to access a digital receipt generated as a result of a purchase transaction and stored in a storage device. Additionally, the present invention provides the consumer the means to access various applications, features, and/or functions related to the stored digital receipt.
In particular, the present invention is a system, method, and apparatus for providing an address to a consumer that allows access to a digital receipt generated as a result of a purchase transaction between the consumer and a business and stored in a storage device. The address also allows the consumer access to applications, programs, features, and/or functions related to the stored digital receipt (collectively xe2x80x9capplicationsxe2x80x9d). Such applications include, without being exhaustive, verification for purchases, verification for credits (return of merchandise), and frequent shopper points.
In one form, the present invention is a retail terminal having a processing unit, a printer in communication with the processing unit, and memory in communication with the processing unit. The memory contains a plurality of program instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to: (i) generate a digital receipt corresponding to a purchase transaction; (ii) obtain an address of a storage location for the digital receipt; and (iii) cause the printer to print the address of the storage location for the digital receipt.
In another form, the present invention is a system for allowing a party to a purchase transaction access to a stored digital receipt and/or applications relating to the purchase transaction. The system includes a retail terminal in communication with an electronic network, a printer associated with the retail terminal and operable to print a network address in a machine readable form, and an addressable storage medium in communication with the electronic network. The retail terminal is operable to: (i) produce a digital receipt corresponding to a purchase transaction; (ii) obtain a network address corresponding to a storage location of the digital receipt in the addressable storage medium; (iii) store the digital receipt at the network address in the addressable storage medium; (iv) provide the network address to the printer; and (v) cause the printer to print the network address in the machine-readable form.
In still another form, the present invention is a method of providing consumer access to a stored digital receipt corresponding to a purchase transaction between the consumer and a purchase transaction entity. The method includes the steps of: generating a digital receipt in connection with a purchase transaction; obtaining an address of a storage location in an addressable storage medium for the digital receipt; storing the digital receipt in the addressable storage medium at the storage location address; and printing the storage location address during the purchase transaction in a machine-readable form. The storage location address is in machine-readable form to provide the consumer access to the digital receipt and/or an application related to the digital receipt upon the storage location address being read by a machine operable to read such machine-readable form and be in communication with the storage medium.
The present invention thus makes the stored digital receipt available for viewing and/or retrieval by the consumer and as a gateway to a variety of features offered by the business.